‘The Bachelorette’: Why Katie Thurston Kept Her Engagement a Secret From Her Family
Many Bachelorette fans were blown away by Katie Thurston’s family in the season 17 finale on Aug. 9. The 30-year-old introduced her mom, Rhonda Lee, and Aunt Lindsey to her future fiancé on the ABC reality series. But apparently, Katie didn’t tell them about her happy ending until it aired on national television. So here’s the real reason why Katie didn’t tell her family about her engagement on The Bachelorette.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from Katie Thurston’s Bachelorette finale.]
Katie Thurston introduced her mom and aunt to Blake Moynes in ‘The Bachelorette’
Blake Moynes was the last man standing on Katie’s season of The Bachelorette. In the season 17 finale, Katie broke up with Justin Glaze after telling Blake she loved him. Then when it was time to meet the family, viewers watched Blake meet Rhonda Lee and Aunt Lindsey.
Immediately, Bachelor Nation fans knew Aunt Lindsey wasn’t playing games. She grilled Blake, forcing him to confront the logistics of his relationship with Katie beyond The Bachelorette bubble. Meanwhile, Rhonda Lee expressed her concerns, but she still seemed supportive of Katie and Blake’s relationship.
In the end, Blake and Katie chose one another and got engaged in The Bachelorette finale. Now, the couple is still together, and they seem to be working through some of the logistics.
Katie reveals she didn’t tell her family about her engagement with Blake
While Katie introduced her mom and aunt in The Bachelorette Season 17, she didn’t tell her family about her engagement with Blake. During the “After the Final Rose” special on Aug. 9, Katie revealed why she wanted them to hear the news alongside Bachelor Nation.
“I will say, my family does not know that we are engaged,” Katie said. “They are finding out as Bachelor Nation found out. I didn’t trust them to keep a secret.”
Then when speaking with Bachelor in Paradise Season 7 celebrity host David Spade on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Katie shared that she actually didn’t tell anyone.
“I didn’t tell anybody. So they just found out tonight,” Katie said on Aug. 9. “I have not checked my phone yet.”
Spade also asked the bachelorette about Aunt Lindsey. Then Katie joked, “I’m scared of her right now!”
How Rhonda Lee and Aunt Lindsey reacted to Blake and Katie’s engagement after ‘The Bachelorette’
Now, Katie has spoken to Rhonda Lee, Aunt Lindsey, and the rest of her family about her engagement with Blake. Then in an interview with Glamour, Katie shared their reaction, and it seems like no one was surprised.
“They knew I was with Blake because there were so many times I was leaving to go visit him,” Katie said. “They just didn’t know what level. The closer we got to the end, the more that I think they had their suspicions.”
She continued, “They didn’t seem too surprised, but they’re very happy and supportive. Even my grandpa texted me and said, ‘We can’t wait to meet him.’ It’s exciting that we can actually do that now.”
Bachelor in Paradise Season 7 starts Monday, Aug. 16. The Bachelorette Season 18 premiere airs Oct. 19.
